New This Week: 4 Casual-Meets-Formal Modern Dining Rooms
These spaces bridge the gap between laid-back family meals and elegant occasions
We’ve reported how formal dining rooms are poised to make a comeback this year. But homeowners aren’t looking to keep the space on hand just for a few holidays a year. They’re looking for modern spaces that function as casual spots for regular family meals and parties, as well as those more sporadic formal occasions. These four dining rooms show how to spin a modern-casual-meets-formal-sophisticated vibe.
2. Life’s a Beach
Designer: Lisa Michael of Lisa Michael Interiors
Location: Delray Beach, Florida
Size: 175 square feet (16.3 square meters)
Homeowners’ request: A dining room with sophisticated retro beach house flair that can transition from casual gatherings to formal occasions
Special features: Dining chairs upholstered in indoor-outdoor fabric; pottery centerpiece; teal ceiling for a sense of calm; abstract mirror to add reflection, elegance and geometry
Wall paint: Simply White, Benjamin Moore; ceiling paint: Caribbean Cool, Benjamin Moore; table: cerused wood and chrome base, custom, ModShop; chair fabric: Stark; chandelier and mirror: Cyan Design; giclée art: Will George; drapery fabric: custom, Opuzen; rug: Gershón Carpet
Designer: Lisa Michael of Lisa Michael Interiors
Location: Delray Beach, Florida
Size: 175 square feet (16.3 square meters)
Homeowners’ request: A dining room with sophisticated retro beach house flair that can transition from casual gatherings to formal occasions
Special features: Dining chairs upholstered in indoor-outdoor fabric; pottery centerpiece; teal ceiling for a sense of calm; abstract mirror to add reflection, elegance and geometry
Wall paint: Simply White, Benjamin Moore; ceiling paint: Caribbean Cool, Benjamin Moore; table: cerused wood and chrome base, custom, ModShop; chair fabric: Stark; chandelier and mirror: Cyan Design; giclée art: Will George; drapery fabric: custom, Opuzen; rug: Gershón Carpet
Designer secrets: “Often the ceiling is forgotten when designing,” says designer Lisa Michael. “By addressing the fifth wall of a room, especially a boxed-in space, you can elevate the room by adding color to an otherwise plain white canvas.”
Also, the rug was made to size from traditional wall-to-wall carpet. “By using carpet, you can get the correct-size rug made for your space at a lower cost,” Michael says. “Limiting yourself to standard rug sizes often creates a roadblock for a correctly proportioned room.”
Splurges and savings: The homeowners saved on the art by choosing a giclée instead of an original. They selected affordable dining chairs but splurged on the fabric. The custom drapery fabric, which was digitally printed, was also a splurge.
Also on the team: GL Homes (builder); Brantley Photography
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Also, the rug was made to size from traditional wall-to-wall carpet. “By using carpet, you can get the correct-size rug made for your space at a lower cost,” Michael says. “Limiting yourself to standard rug sizes often creates a roadblock for a correctly proportioned room.”
Splurges and savings: The homeowners saved on the art by choosing a giclée instead of an original. They selected affordable dining chairs but splurged on the fabric. The custom drapery fabric, which was digitally printed, was also a splurge.
Also on the team: GL Homes (builder); Brantley Photography
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3. Vintage Vibe
Designer: Jennifer Gustafson of Jennifer Gustafson Interior Design
Location: San Francisco
Size: About 120 square feet (11.2 square meters)
Homeowner’s request: To repurpose a bedroom off the living room into a dining room
Special features: Gallery wall of family photos; refinished vintage table and linen-covered chairs; overdyed vintage wool area rug; modern pendant lighting
Area rug: H.D. Buttercup; table: vintage; table paint: Silver Chain, Benjamin Moore; chairs: Filly Up in linen, Nido Living; console: Strut in navy, Blu Dot; pendant: Menicus cluster, Élan; draperies: ceiling-mounted ripple fold in wool sateen, The Shade Store; gallery wall photo restoration and scanning: Rose Restorations; frames: West Elm; mats: custom, Cheap Pete’s; wall paint: Super White, Benjamin Moore
Designer: Jennifer Gustafson of Jennifer Gustafson Interior Design
Location: San Francisco
Size: About 120 square feet (11.2 square meters)
Homeowner’s request: To repurpose a bedroom off the living room into a dining room
Special features: Gallery wall of family photos; refinished vintage table and linen-covered chairs; overdyed vintage wool area rug; modern pendant lighting
Area rug: H.D. Buttercup; table: vintage; table paint: Silver Chain, Benjamin Moore; chairs: Filly Up in linen, Nido Living; console: Strut in navy, Blu Dot; pendant: Menicus cluster, Élan; draperies: ceiling-mounted ripple fold in wool sateen, The Shade Store; gallery wall photo restoration and scanning: Rose Restorations; frames: West Elm; mats: custom, Cheap Pete’s; wall paint: Super White, Benjamin Moore
Designer secret: “Look for opportunities to incorporate the unexpected,” says designer Jennifer Gustafson. “The dining table was a lucky surprise. We had been looking at modern tables, but when we saw the table, we saw the potential to create an interesting space around it.”
“Uh-oh” moment: “The biggest obstacle to overcome in this space was the square footage,” Gustafson says. “The client wanted to have dining space for eight people. To accommodate this, it was really important to find furniture that would scale properly to the space.”
Splurges and savings: The area rug was a splurge, while savings came from the dining table and photo gallery.
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“Uh-oh” moment: “The biggest obstacle to overcome in this space was the square footage,” Gustafson says. “The client wanted to have dining space for eight people. To accommodate this, it was really important to find furniture that would scale properly to the space.”
Splurges and savings: The area rug was a splurge, while savings came from the dining table and photo gallery.
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4. Midcentury Magic
Designer: Rima Nasser (also the homeowner) and Kimberly Coombs of TEW Design Studio
Location: Cary, North Carolina
Size: 238 square feet. (22.1 square meters)
Homeowners’ request: A functional room for an office during the day and a vibrant entertaining space at night
Special features: Six-foot-tall window overlooking lush landscaping; natural walnut table; original architectural details designed by architect Karl Gaskins, including recessed storage cabinets, sloped ceilings, a curved natural stone wall and support beams capped with natural oak
Why the design works: Designers Rima Nasser and Kimberly Coombs chose a large natural walnut table with four matching chairs and gray upholstered chairs for the ends. “It was important to choose a natural wood table and not a painted one to keep the integrity of the modernist architecture of the space,” Nasser says.
In an effort to soften the natural wood built-ins and furniture, the designers selected a bold and bright rug. The original hand-drawn 1980 architectural plans hang over the dining table in simple and minimalistic frames. A console with colorful accessories helps highlight the natural stone wall.
Designer secret: “Painting the walls and ceilings in the same neutral color made this dining room look larger and more complete, as well as helped accentuate the right details,” Nasser says.
“Uh-oh” moment: Nasser had a glass-top table that she thought would work. After changing the floor plan half a dozen times without successfully incorporating the table, she settled on the midcentury-style walnut piece shown here.
Also on the team: Bob Fortner (photographer)
Rug: Stella collection, Chandra; paint: Olympus White, Sherwin-Williams; table and chairs: West Elm
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Designer: Rima Nasser (also the homeowner) and Kimberly Coombs of TEW Design Studio
Location: Cary, North Carolina
Size: 238 square feet. (22.1 square meters)
Homeowners’ request: A functional room for an office during the day and a vibrant entertaining space at night
Special features: Six-foot-tall window overlooking lush landscaping; natural walnut table; original architectural details designed by architect Karl Gaskins, including recessed storage cabinets, sloped ceilings, a curved natural stone wall and support beams capped with natural oak
Why the design works: Designers Rima Nasser and Kimberly Coombs chose a large natural walnut table with four matching chairs and gray upholstered chairs for the ends. “It was important to choose a natural wood table and not a painted one to keep the integrity of the modernist architecture of the space,” Nasser says.
In an effort to soften the natural wood built-ins and furniture, the designers selected a bold and bright rug. The original hand-drawn 1980 architectural plans hang over the dining table in simple and minimalistic frames. A console with colorful accessories helps highlight the natural stone wall.
Designer secret: “Painting the walls and ceilings in the same neutral color made this dining room look larger and more complete, as well as helped accentuate the right details,” Nasser says.
“Uh-oh” moment: Nasser had a glass-top table that she thought would work. After changing the floor plan half a dozen times without successfully incorporating the table, she settled on the midcentury-style walnut piece shown here.
Also on the team: Bob Fortner (photographer)
Rug: Stella collection, Chandra; paint: Olympus White, Sherwin-Williams; table and chairs: West Elm
See more of this home
More
How to design your ideal dining room
More dining room design tips
Designers: The homeowners with builder Andrew Patterson of Patterson Custom Homes
Location: Newport Beach, California
Size: 192 square feet (17.8 square meters); 16 by 12 feet
Homeowners’ request: A dining room with a neutral and beachy vibe that’s welcoming and open for entertainment, and not stuffy or overly formal
Special feature: The art piece, which the homeowners bought from a local artist while on vacation in Florida, and which inspired the room’s design
Why the design works: Bold red chairs help offset the beachy, neutral color scheme to create a style that’s not only comfortable, but also elegant.
Designer secret: The homeowners got the idea for introducing red through the chairs from a photo they’d seen on Houzz.
“Uh-oh” moment: The plants, purchased from Z Gallerie, have a very modern look. The remainder of the home is pretty traditional, so the homeowners weren’t sure if the modern foliage would work. Luckily, they loved the plants, which ended up tying the whole room together.
Also on the team: Brandon Architects; Ryan Garvin (photographer)
Chandelier: Rozz clear glass with antique brass, Worlds Away; floor: solid white oak with custom stain applied after installation; paint: White Duck, Sherwin-Williams; rug: handmade, La-Z-Boy
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